How Long Has Dirk Nowitzki Been In The NBA?

Dirk Nowitzki has been playing in the NBA for 21 seasons. He is the sixth oldest player in the league.

Dirk Nowitzki’s NBA Career

Dirk Nowitzki was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. He was then immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he has spent his entire 21-year career. Nowitzki is the longest-tenured player in Mavericks history, and has played more games and won more games than any other foreign-born player in NBA history.

Nowitzki’s early years

Dirk Nowitzki was born in Würzburg, Germany, to Holger and Heather Nowitzki. He is the oldest of two children, with his younger sister Sonia being born seven years after him. Nowitzki comes from an athletic family; his grandfather Hans was a professional footballer for Schalke 04, while his great-grandfather Hermann Helms played for the German national team. His mother played handball for DSC Würzburg.

Nowitzki grew up shooting and playing a lot of one-on-one against his mother, who once said: “My boy is going to be a stagnation scorer like his father.” As a teenager, he played basketball to escape the bullies who would call him “wimpy” because he was not into sports like they were. When he was 15 years old, he finally began playing basketball competitively.

Nowitzki’s breakout season

In his second season, Nowitzki significantly improved his numbers, averaging 17.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He was again named to the All-Rookie Team. He also played in his first All-Star Game, becoming the first German player to do so. In the summer of 2000, he won an Olympic Bronze Medal with the German national team in Sydney

Nowitzki’s breakout season came in 2000–01, when he averaged 21.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from three-point range; all numbers that would become hallmarks of his career.

Nowitzki’s MVP season

In 2007, Nowitzki was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the NBA, becoming the first European-born player in league history to receive the honor. That season, he led the Mavericks to their first-ever appearance in the NBA Finals. In 2011, Nowitzki was named Finals MVP as he led Dallas to its first NBA championship. He became just the sixth player in NBA history to receive both the league MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same season.

Nowitzki’s Post-NBA Career

Dirk Nowitzki has been one of the most influential players in the NBA for over two decades. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1998 and quickly became one of the best players in the league. He won the NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 and was named the NBA Finals MVP. He retired from the NBA in 2019 and is now focusing on his post-NBA career.

Nowitzki’s retirement

Dirk Nowitzki announced his retirement from the NBA on April 7th, 2020, after a 21-year career with the Dallas Mavericks. He is widely considered one of the best shooting big men in NBA history, and was a 13-time All-Star and the 2011 NBA Finals MVP. Nowitzki is also the Mavericks’ all-time leading scorer, and ranks 6th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Nowitzki’s post-retirement plans

Dirk Nowitzki has already announced his plans for post-retirement, and they do not involve basketball. Instead, Nowitzki plans to open a chain of barbecue restaurants in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Nowitzki made the announcement during an interview with a local radio station, saying that he has always enjoyed barbecue and wants to provide good Texas-style barbecue to the Dallas area. He also said that he has been working on the plans for the restaurant for a few years and is excited to get it up and running.

It is not yet known when the first Nowitzki’s BBQ restaurant will open, but it is expected to be sometime in 2020.